Automatic gate opening and closing device



Dec. 27, 1927. v I 1,654,461

. 1 HANIFORD AUTOMATIC GATE OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE Filed May 17. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Harri/0rd Dec.'27, 1927. 4 L. HANIFORD AUTOMATIC GATE OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE Filed May 17, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- Invent r ll-HWV P lmhfin .llllurll I hut W u HM. E rm 4 HC E A Q A $21., 2, Ma? Q mw an Q R 4 QM @m m 3 m M m w Q QN 0 T1 a u N Q w w k K \k m De c. 27, 1927.

L. HANIFORD AUTOMATIC GATE OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE Filed May1'7. 1926 SSIzeets-Sheet 3 hnr'errfor In. Harri/0rd Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

UNITED I STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS HANIFORD, OF HANNA, ALBERTA, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC GATE OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE. v

Application filed May 17,1926, Serial N0."109,771, an in Canada-March so, 1926.

The invention relates to improvements in automatic gate opening and closing devices and an object of the invention is to provide a device embodying normally closed gates which will be automatically opened by an approaching vehicle, train or such like and will belocked open until such time that the vehicle or'train has passed and cleared the gates and will then be subsequently freed to close.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the construction such that the gates will be opened and locked open automatic-at lyby the train or vehicle when approaching the gates from either side and automatically released to close after having passed the gates.

A further object of the invention is to construct the appliance in a simple, durable and el'licient manner and so that there will be little difliculty in installing it say on a railroad at the point of intersection with a highway.

A further object of the invention is to provide the device as utilized on railroads with pairs of gates which are normally closed to prevent passage of wandering animals along the track and upon a train approaching, are automatically opened to positively stop the passage of vehicular tratiic along the highway until such tiinethat all point of danger is passed at which time the gates are automatically closed by the passing train.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide normally closed gates at the opposite sides of the highway and crossing the track, actuating members located some distance remote from the gates and along the tracks, said members being adapted to be struck by the passing train to open the gates, means for subsequently locking the gates open and pressure plates located between. the actuating members and the gates and associated with the rail and adapted to be depressed by the car wheel and designed to positively maintain the gates locked until the car is well past the crossing and then. permit the gates to close.

With the above more important and other minor objects in view which will become more apparent as the description proceeds,

the invention consists essentially inthe arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Fig.1 is a plan view of the device showing the gates in the normal or closed position across the track. I

Fig. 2 is an enla'rged detailed vertical sectional View at 2-2 Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view at 33 Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed vertical'sec tional viewjat 44 Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the applied arrow.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view at 5-5 Figure 4. I

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of theactuat- 'ing shaft, lever and other parts associated traffic and permit the passage of the train and such that after the train has passed the crossing the gates will. be unlocked thereby and closed.

l/Vhilst the drawings show the device as used on a railroad, I wish it to' be understood, however, that the gates could be employed in any other desirable location as in a building such as avgarage and be operated by pressure bars to open and close upon the passing of the vehicle such as an automobile.

Referring now to the drawings, the rail road tracks 1 and 2 are mounted in the usual manner on the ties 3 and at the sides of the crossing 4 I locate similar pairs of normally closed gates 5, 6, 7 and 8, the gates having their outer ends carried by vertical spindles or shafts 5, 6 7 and 8, the lower ends ofwhich are rotatably mounted in similar suitable stationary boxes 9 provided. The gates have their inner ends just nicely clear of one another so that they are free to operate and parts in the sevsuch that when the gates are closed, there can be no passage along the tracks in elther direction from the crossing. v

Accordingly the closed gates, which are looked as later described, not only preventv the Wandering of animals along the tracks but also permitof the safe passage of vehicular trafiic as one knows when the gates are so closed, that passage is safe.

The lower'ends of the shafts are littcd with similar bevel pinions 10 and these bevcl pinions are continuously in mesh with further bevel pinions 11 located. on the ends of similar cross shafts 12 and 13 located one at each side of the crossing. The outer ends of the said cross shafts are circular in cross section and have their outer ends rotatably mounted in the side walls of the boxes 9. The central portions of the said shafts are square in cross section and the shafts are supported by suitable bearing bars 14: and 15 secured to adjacent ties.

On the square part of the shaft 12, I mount a single, pulley 16 and. two other pulleys 17 and 18 and on the shaft 13, T 'mount a single pulley 16 opposite that of 16 and two further pulleys 17 and 18 opposite those of 17 and 18. A pulling line or cable 19 connects the pulleys 16 and 16', the said cable passing from the under side of the pulley 1G to the top side of the pulley 16'.

i A turnbuckle 19 is introduced in the cable I V the pulley 17. A turnbuckle 20 isinserted for adjusting purposes in the, cable 20.

According to this arrangement it will be apparent that if say the shaft 12 be rotated in the direction of the applied arrow Figure 7, the gates and 8 actuated by the said shaft will be opened and. further that the cable 19 will act to rotate the shaft 13 in the. direction of the applied varrow Figure 7 with the result that the gates 5 and 6 will be simultaneoiilsly opened. On the other hand, should the shaft 13 be rotated in the direction of the applied arrow, the gates and 6 will open and the cable 20 will operate to rotate the shaft 1.2 in a direction which will open the gates 7 and 8.

Tl e gates as hereinbefore intimated opened by a train approaching the crossing and remain open until the train is passed at which time, they areuulocked and free to close; The mechanism actuated by the approaching train for opening the gates and locking the same and the mechanism for releasing the gates to close after the train has passed are the same at either side of the crossing so that I only consider it necessary to herein describe in detail the said mecha nisms at one side of the crossing.

At a selected distance somewhat up the track from say the gates 7 and 8, I locate an actuating shaft 21 which has the ends thereof rotatably mounted in bearing bars 22 and 22 carried by adjacent ties. The shaft is fitted with an upstanding lever 23 and a downwardly extending crank 23 and can be provided alsowith a weighted arm 23*. pulling line or cable connects the crank 23 to the pulley 18, the said pulling line passing underneath the pulley. A turnbuckle 2 1 is interposed inthe cable for adjusting purposes and in this connection, I might point out that when the gates are closed, the lever extends vertically.

The lever is positioned adjacent the head of the rail 1 so that the flange of the wheel of a train advancing in the direction of the arrow A Figure 1 will strike the lever and swing it downwardly in a direction towards the gates which movement will cause the cable 24;.to rotate the shaft 12 to. open the gates 7 and 8 and the cable 19 to rotate the shaft 13 in a direction to open the gates 5 and 6.

knocked downwardly. p v V It is necessary to lock the gates open after they have been so actuated as it will be observed that each of the shafts 12 and 13 is fitted with a crank 25 to which a spring 26 is fastened, the spring being also attached,

to an adjacent tie and being arranged such that after the gates are opened the springs are brought into tension and would accord iugly tend to close the same.

The mechanism for locking the gates now described. On the shafts 12 and 13 I mount similar dogs 26 and 27, these dogs being normally down turned and having their upper portions extending in shortlever arms 28 lengthwise slotted asindicated at 28. having their outer ends pivotally secured to an adjacent tie and their inner ends fitted, with pins 31 slidably entering the slots 28'. Adjacent the rail 1 at opposite sides of.-

the crossing, l locate similarpressure bars 32 and 33 which have the heads 34 thereof, immediately to the lllHQIYSldB of the head of the rail 1 and the ends thereof curving downwardly so'that the flange of a train wheel. will rlde and depress them. The

pressure bars are provided on the under side i with three downwardly extending socket like 1 extensions 35, 36 and 37 and these contain coiled springs 38 which ride the upper ends ofsimilar posts 39, 10 and 41 suitably an chored to the ground. The springs 38 hold the heads of the pressure bars normally in an elevated position best shown inFigure 5 but it will be obvious that upon a train wheel engaging with and riding over the pressure bar, the said pressure bar will be depressed and held depressed for the entire:

period of the passage of the train, it being Accordingly the gates are simul-, taneously opened the lnstant the lever 23 1s Links 29 and 30 are provided, these understoodthat the length of each pressure bar is greater than the greatest distance in'each instance'with a lug 36 and this lug normally engages "with one end of a catch bar 42 which passes transversely across a suitableslot 13 cut in one of theties and hasthe other end thereof projecting into the path of travel of the'adjacentdog 26 or 27 as the case may be and here it'will be observed (see Figure 1) that the one edgeof the dog is rounded to permit it'to escape past the catch bar when rotating in one direction.

A housing or plate 44 encloses the top and. one end of the slot 43 and in the housing'I locate aspring 45 which operates to hold the catch bar l2 down in the position shown in Figure 4. It will be observed also that vthe housing holds the end of the catch bar'next the'lu'g from rising although permitting the catch bar ,to rock. The catch bar is prevented from moving towards the lug by a pin 46 engageable with the housin Thefsocket like extension 37 is provided with a pin l7 2 which overlies the adjacent link 29 or 30 as thecase may be.

According 'to the above arrangement, it w'illbe apparent that when the train isapproaching the crossing in the direction indicated by the arrow A, it will initially open the gates by striking the lever as hereinbefore explained and in rotating the shafts12 and 13 will cause the dogs 26 and 27 to move in a direction such. that they will initially click past the adjacent ends of the catch bars 42 and'thcn become locked in a iosition such as shown in dotted outline in *igure 4, with the result that the shafts are locked against rotation and consequently the gates are locked open. 1

During this locking action the links '29 have an idle down movement, the pins 31 sliding 1n the slots 28 and the catch bars42 rock to allow the dogs to go by and then subsequently become caught on the ends of the catch bars. This locking movement takes place before the on coming tram reaches the pressure bar 32.

Upon the train engaging the pressure bar 32, it moves down and remains down until the complete tram has passed there over.

- .As it moves down, the dog 26 will be re leased from the catch plate but such release I of the dog 26 does not free' the shaft 12 to rotate under the action of thespring 26 the said shaft 12 being connected by the cables to the, shaft 13 cannot rotate until the dog 27 controlling the shaft 13 has been unlocked;

I might point out also that although the dog 26 has been released from the catch bar, the pin 4.7 is operating to hold the link 29 down during the time that the passing train is on'the pressure bar 32 with the result that the shaft 12 cannot rotate. i As the'front-end of thetrain reaches the pressure bar 33, it moves it down and re leases" the dog 27 from the adjacent catchbar but as the t am is now on the pressure bar '33, the pin 17 engaging with the link 29 prevents any rotary movement of the shaft 13 and as this shaft is connected tothe shaft 12 by the cables, the latter shaft can-' to rot-ate under the actions of its spring as also'the shaft 12. The gates accordingly simultaneously close. other-side of 'thecrossingfrom that 23 will. be swung down when the approaching train strikes the lever 23 as at this time there will be slack in the cable 419 connecting the pulley 18 with the crank 50 correspondingto the crank 23" and the weight correspond ing to that 23* and attached to the actuatmg shaft 51 will drop.

After the passing train has cleared the pressure bar 33, the-lever 18 will be brought back to an upstanding position by the closing of the gates-but when subsequently struck by the train will only be knocked down and make an idle movement as such will simply cause a slackening of thecable 49. l Vhen the train has passed'the said lever,

the weight associated therewith brings it ing of the flange of an on coming car wheel 'wlth the lever 48 and the final release of the gates to simultaneously close occurring after the passing train has cleaied'olf the pressure bar 32. V

I have" also shown plates 52' and 53 attached to thetops of the gates, such plates being warning signals to approaching ve- The lever 18 at the hicular traflic; These plates have the word Stop indicated thereon. Whilst I'have shown plates any type of warning signal could be used. In fact, the device could be used to advantage by substituting signal carrying arms for the gates without departing from the spirit of the invention.

If either of the cables connecting the actu ating lovers to the operatingshafts 12 or 13 should break when the lever is hit by the appreaching train, I might point out that the gates will be opened so that they will not be struck and demolished by the train. After passing the lever, the train vwill engage the pressure plate and move it down and the pm 47 will swing the link 29 downwardly which will cause the turning of the dog andicon sequent'ly the turning of the cross shaft 12 or 13 as thejcase may be. The turning of one shaft turns the other on account of the interconnecting cables with the result that both pairs of gates are opened simultaneously and the pair of gates remote from the train are locked open by the associated dog so that those gates nearest the train are also looked open after the train has passed the pressure bar associated therewith.

What I claim as my invention is 1. An automatic gate opening and closing device for intersecting railway and vehicular crossings comprising a rotatably mounted cross shaft crossing the railway tracks at either side of the highway and extending there beyond, means connecting the shafts whereby they are compelled to rotate together in opposite directions, a pair of pivoted gates located at either side of the highway and normally closed across the tracks, operating means connecting the cross shafts to the gates whereby, in the'rotation of the shafts, the gates simultaneously open and close, spring means connected to the shafts for simultaneously closing the gates, depressible actuating members located adjacent the tracks and adapted to be struck by the passing car wheel, said members being located at some distance from'the gates, means connecting the said members to the shafts whereby in the depression of one of said members by the approaching train, the gates are simultaneously opened, locking means associated with each shaft for automatically locking the. gates in the open position and depressible locking bars adjacent each pair of gates and the track and engageable when depressed with the several lockingmeans, both of said depressible bars having to be depressed. before the gates are released to close.

2. An automatic gate opening and closing device for intersecting railway and vehicular crossings comprising a rotatably mounted cross shaft located at each side of the highway and crossing the tracks and extending therebeyond, bevel gears secured to the ends of the shafts, vertically disposed rotatably mounted spindles located at the ends of the cross shafts, bevel gears secured to the lower ends of the spindles and in mesh with the former gear wheels, pairs of gates secured to the spindles and taking normally a closed position across the tracks, means connecting the shafts to cause the simultaneous rotation thereof in opposite directions whereby the gates-open and close together, depressible gate opening members located some distancefrom the pairs of gates and at opposite sides of the highway and adapted to be depressed by the wheel of a train approaching the highway, means connecting the depressible members with the shafts whereby the depression of one of the members causes the simultaneous opening of the gates, locking means adjacent the shafts adapted to automatically and simultaneously lock the several shafts against rotation and upon the gates opening,

spring means associated with each shaft tending to close the opening gates, a depressible bar associated with each shaftand positioned to be engaged and depressed by the passing wheel of a train, said locking bars being adapted further upon depression to unlock the adjacent locking means and whilst in such depressed position do themselves prevent the closing 'of the gates. I

'3. An automatic gate opening and closing device for intersecting railway and vehicu-- lar crossings comprising a rotatably mount-- ed cross shaft located at either side of'the highway, crossing'the tracks and extending there beyond, bevel gears secured to the ends of the shafts, rotatably mounted upstanding spindles located at the ends of the shafts,

loo

roadway and positioned to be struck down by an approaching train wheel, further winding pulleys secured'to the cross shafts,

pulling lines connecting the levers with the latter pulleys whereby upon one or other of the levers being knocked down by a wheel approaching the gate, the gates are simultaneously opened, means associated with each shaft for automatically locking the shaft against rotation upon the gates being opened, a depressible pressure bar adjacent each shaft and extending in a direction away from the gates and positioned to'be depressed by a passing train wheel and upon depression to unlock the adjacent locking means and subsequently to prevent through said locking means, the closing of the gates until the passing train has cleared both of said pressure bars, and spring means subsequently closing the released gates.

i. The combination with a railway cross ing of a gate movable about a vertical pivot located at one side of the track to extendeither across the rails of the track or across the intersecting roadway, means for normally retaining the gate in a position extendgatefunctions as a cattle guard, train coning across the rails of the track whereby-said trol means for swinging the gate from normal position to a position extending across the intersecting roadway, said train control means including provision for locking the gate in the last mentioned position while the train is passing the crossing and for automatically releasing the gate when the train has cleared the crossing to permit the gate to return to normal position.

5. A combined cattle guard and crossing gate for railway tracks comprising vertically disposed gate posts rotatably mounted at opposite sides of the track and at opposite sides of the roadway intersecting the track, gates carried by said posts and rotatable therewith to swing in a horizontal plane, means for normally retaining said gate in a position extending across the rails of the track to form a cattle guard and train control means functioning when a train approaches the crossing to swing the gates clear of the track'and to a position forming a barrier across the intersecting roadway, said train control means functioning to lock the gates in the last named position until the train has cleared the crossing.

Signed at Hanna this 1st day of March, 1926.

LOUIS HANIFORD. 

